Rangers rookie plays ‘100 miles an hour,’ brings Garden to life with goal against Bruins
On Nov. 24, the New York Rangers recalled Brett Berard from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, and the 22-year-old forward made his NHL debut the next day. For a 5-foot-9 fifth-round pick, just making the NHL is an accomplishment. However, Berard showed that he’s not on the team to just make up the numbers.
Berard wasn’t expected to light up the score sheet but did contribute in that aspect early on. He had an assist in his first game against the St. Louis Blues, then scored his first NHL goal in his second game two days later against the Carolina Hurricanes.
His five points (three goals, two assists) in 15 games do not jump off the page, but his production is actually a bit better if you dig into the numbers. Since joining the Rangers, Berard is third on the team in 5-on-5 points per 60 minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick.
This time in Rangers history won’t be looked on favorably, but Berard has done his part to help try and turn things around. The Blueshirts are 5-13-0 since he joined the club and have scored the fewest goals per 60 minutes in the League. Berard does have a positive expected goal (xG) differential at 5-on-5, at 0.36 percent. No one is expecting him to single-handedly carry the team back into contention, but he’s doing what has been asked of him by the coaching staff.
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Brett Berard electrifies Rangers, Garden crowd with goal against Bruins
On Thursday, Berard scored the Rangers’ second goal, which held up to be the game winner in a 2-1 victory against the Boston Bruins. It was his third goal of the season and first at Madison Square Garden. Berard broke down the right wing on a 2-on-1, had Will Cuylle in the slot, and rifled a shot over the shoulder of Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman.
“It was a big goal”, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette told media after the game. “It’s nice to see a guy like that get rewarded”.
“A guy like that” is the coach describing Berard’s style as a player who brings a ton of energy and work rate. Despite his lack of size, Berard loves to throw his body around and will always get in on the forecheck when given the opportunity. For a Rangers team with a lot of veterans who don’t necessarily play that way, his style is needed in the lineup.
“He’s a fiery guy,” Laviolette said. “He had big hits, he works relentlessly out there.”
Berard’s spark has been noticed by his teammates as well as the coaching staff.
“He plays 100 miles an hour out there.” defenseman Braden Schneider said after the win. “He’s skating hard, he’s physical, he’s taking things to the net. Guys love the way he plays.”
Berard’s burst of emotion after scoring Thursday added to the frenzy inside MSG. A pretty quiet Garden crowd erupted and raised the level to 11 watching the youngster’s goal and ensuing celly.
The choice of shooting the puck rather than opting for the pass also made Laviolette happy.
“I thought he made a great decision to shoot ’cause Boston takes away the pass on the 2-on-1s,” he said.
The Rangers coach then joked, “we told him to shoot or else.”
Brett Berard finding his role with Rangers
Since being recalled, Berard’s played up and down the lineup. He actually started his NHL tenure in the top-six due to injuries and slumping veterans being moved down the lineup. Lately, he settled in on the third line with Cuylle and Filip Chytil, following Kaapo Kakko’s trade to the Seattle Kraken.
It’s been a small sample size so far, but this line does have the makings of a reliable option for Laviolette to send over the boards. In 26:30 of ice time together at 5-on-5, this line has controlled 59.18 percent of the xG.
A former Rangers forward you can draw parallels to with Berard is Ryan Callahan. Both are smaller, United States-born wings who bring a lot of energy and were drafted in the fifth round. Their offensive capabilities have been questioned, but each had fairly solid point totals throughout their amateur careers.
Callahan was called up during the 2006-07 season and provided much more than was expected of him. That Rangers team ended up making the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Callahan, of course went on to become Rangers captain and record 254 points (132 goals, 122 assists) in 450 games before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning ahead of the 2014 deadline.
This isn’t to say that Berard will follow exactly in Callahan’s footsteps to become a top-six fixture and score 20+ goals three times in his Rangers tenure, but the comparison at the beginning of their careers is a valid one.
Berard scored 18 goals in 36 games with Providence College in 2021-22 and led Hartford of the American Hockey League with 25 goals as a rookie pro last season. The skill is there.
But for now, he’s a good fit as a middle-six forward, one who’s shining on the third line.
The Rangers, for sure, will take that.
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